The UN said Wednesday that nearly 17,000 metric tons (18,700 tons) of food have been looted in Sudan.
The conflict-hot African nation has been engulfed by violence for weeks with fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
The World Food Programme (WFP) country director told Reutersnews agency that pillaging in the country was rampant.
“This would translate to about 13 or 14 million U.S. dollars - just the cost of the food. Almost every day we are receiving reports of additional looting,” Eddie Rowe is quoted as saying.
He added: "“We know that if we do not procure commodities now, we are going to run out of stock in the next two to three months.”
The UN agency had more than 80,000 metric tons of food in Sudan before fighting broke out April 15.
Toby Harward, principal situation coordinator in Darfur for the UN refugee agency, said uncontrolled forces, militias, bandits and criminals were behind the looting.
Harward said the UN is in contact with authorities to move supplies to safer areas.
''I'm confident that we will save whatever we can,'' he said. ''Through this humanitarian crisis, strengthening a rule of law capacities within Sudan, particularly in Darfur, will be absolutely essential.''
